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    Hub 05 of 5

    Buying Guide

    Everything that matters when you are about to buy. Price expectations, the questions worth asking before you commit, the red flags that should make you walk away, and how to evaluate a supplier you haven't bought from before.

    9 guides 3 to start with Price, checks, formats and suppliers
    A corked glass bottle of amber oud oil surrounded by agarwood chips on dark stone
    Start here

    Read these before you commit

    What things should cost, what to ask, and when to walk away, whatever you are buying and from whom.

    Bottle of oud oil with a wax seal on driftwood
    Start with price

    How much does agarwood cost?

    What actually drives price across chips, oil and beads, what realistic ranges look like by grade and origin, and why two pieces that look similar can cost very different amounts.

    Read the full guide →

    Questions to ask before you buy oud

    A practical checklist to run through with any seller, before price even enters the conversation.

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    Red flags when buying agarwood

    Vague origin claims, prices that are too low to be real, and other signs a listing deserves more scrutiny.

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    By format

    Buying by format

    What to look for, broken down by exactly what you're buying.

    Agarwood chips arranged in rows on a wooden tray, from pale wood to dark resinous pieces

    Buying agarwood chips: a beginner's guide

    What to look for, how to read a listing, and what grade names really tell you.

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    Oud oil in a corked bottle next to agarwood chips showing resin grain

    Buying oud oil: what you need to know

    Purity, origin, distillation method, and what a reasonable return policy looks like.

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    Two strands of mottled brown agarwood prayer beads with tasselled cords, draped over pale driftwood

    Buying agarwood beads and jewellery

    Carved or pressed, dyed or oiled, and what actually drives the price.

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    Where and who

    Where and who to buy from

    Evaluating suppliers, online versus in person, and buying while travelling in source countries.

    Trusted agarwood suppliers: what makes one reputable?

    Documentation, consistent grading and track record, the things that separate a reliable supplier from the rest.

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    Buying agarwood online vs in person

    The real pros, cons and risks of each, and how to reduce the ones that matter most.

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    Mist-filled forested hills at sunrise with a winding dirt path

    Buying agarwood in Southeast Asia: a guide for travellers

    What to know before buying in Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia or Malaysia, including the CITES rules on bringing agarwood across borders.

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    Before you pay

    Four checks for any purchase

    A short version of the questions this hub covers in depth.

    Origin
    Ask where the wood was harvested and which species it is, and whether the seller can document it. Questions to ask
    Grade
    Ask what the grade means to that seller. Grades are not standardised across the trade. How agarwood is graded
    Purity
    For oil, ask whether it is pure oud oil, an attar, or a blend, and how it was distilled. Buying oud oil
    Permits
    International shipments of agarwood need CITES documentation. Ask how the seller handles it before you order. CITES explained
    Not ready yet?

    Check it before you buy

    If you are unsure about a specific piece, the authenticity hub covers how to judge it.

    Agarwood chips arranged in rows on a wooden tray, from pale wood to dark resinous pieces
    Before you buy · 03

    Quality & Authenticity

    Grading, resin testing, and how to spot synthetic or adulterated oud.

    Explore the hub →
    A small agarwood chip smoking on charcoal in an engraved brass incense burner
    Using it · 04

    Oud in Practice

    Burning, wearing, storing and collecting agarwood.

    Explore the hub →
    Ready to find a supplier?

    Browse the directory

    Distillers, sellers, wholesalers, growers and perfume houses, organised by country and type, with sourcing claims flagged until verified.

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